Darkness
by castmyashes
Summary: A halfdemon mother of twin boys, running from her brother, who planned to make her the Source's new queen. BtVSCharmed Crossover. ColeOC. Chapter Eight Up!
1. Chapter 1

**Please, allow me to tell you what's going on. I reuploaded chapters 1-4 because of some revisions. My original plot idea has evolved from what I wanted it to be.**

**Title: From This Darkness**

**Raiting: R for violence and sexuality**

**Pairing: Cole/OC, Piper/Leo, Buffy/Spike, Willow/Kennedy,**

**Summary: **

Temperance St. Waryk, half-demonic mother of twins, thought she was safe. Seventy-five years of running from her half-demonic twin brother had made her cautious. She was living with the vampire slayer, Buffy Summers, when her brother found her again. Running to the only person she knew that could protect her children, Temperance went back to San Francisco; to the Charmed Ones, and the children's father, Cole Turner. On the run from the Source, one family must first band together to save its line from destruction; but at what cost? Can Temperance and Cole find love together after fifteen years? Or will they fall apart when the threat is over?

**Author's Note: **

I wasn't sure what to call this fic, because I'm really new at writing crossovers. I have Prue dead, because I couldn't write her if they paid me to, so I have Paige. I also have Cole living in the penthouse. I decided to make this go AU after Centennial Charmed, that way I could have Cole come back, make up with Phoebs (the whole true love conquers all thing, and we all know, part of her wants to forgive him of any wrong he's ever done), and he's got the whole 'I-can't-be-vanquished' thing going on. I also brought in Drake from season seven, because I didn't like any other pairing besides Cole and Drake for Phoebe. In the Buffy timeline, everything has been slowed down a bit. I have it at the point where she and the gang are getting rid of the First and all its minions a little later than it happened in the series. Oh, and I have Angel in here too, along with his gang. Its set before the Wolfram & Hart take over, but nothing with Jasmine has happened, Cordy isn't there at all, nor has Conner happened. That's the timeline, if anyone gets confused. I hope it kind of explains it. I wasn't to clear on all the details; it's kinda hazy at the moment. I have an entire timeline of events out, but that would give away the story, so I can't show you that until the fic is finished.

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**Chapter One:**

Temperance St. Waryk was a young woman of only twenty-eight, or so it seemed. Temperance, named that because of her temperament, she was the daughter of a demon and a mortal man. The demonic Underworld called her Tempest. She herself was half-demon, born over one hundred years ago in Swansea, Wales. Her mother, Nemesis--who's mortal name was Anne--was the twin sister of the Source at the time, and fell in love with a mortal man, Calder St. Waryk. Calder had long since died, along with her mother, leaving Temperance and her twin brother Darius, alone in the world to make lives for themselves. Temperance never stayed in one spot for more than fifty years. It was too much of a risk to tell an entire community that she would never die, and if she did, it wouldn't be by natural causes. She wasn't willing to risk her life just yet.

Her brother was another story. More prone to evil, Darius took after their mother before she fell in love with their father. Darius was a fiend; pure and true evil. He was an upper level demon who wanted to make a name for himself by taking out certain witches for the Source. The Source also wanted his sister for his queen.

Temperance had spent the last seventy-five years escaping her brother's clutches, but his fingers always reached her somehow. Now she was in Sunnydale, California, where she worked with Rupert Giles and his rogue demon fighters. Her brother was based in San Francisco, miles away. He would never think to look for her on the Hellmouth. Or would he?

"You've failed to find your twin and her children as of yet?" the Source asked, his booming voice echoing within the stone chamber that surrounded them. Darius looked at his master and then looked down at the stone floor beneath his feet, fidgeting.

"She's had seventy-five years to learn effective escape techniques, my liege," Dare, short for Darius, explained. "My sister is very much like our mother in her methods. Once you lose her, it's almost certain that she will never be found again for years to come or unless she wants to be found."

"Look harder or I'll punish you for your insolence," the Source yelled.

Dare jumped. "Yes, my liege," he stuttered and turned on his heel to leave. Outside the chamber, Dare had his fledglings waiting for him.

"Sir, what does the Source say?" one asked. Dare looked at him, his normally green eyes flashing red with unspoken power. The fledgling jumped back against the wall.

"Find her, damn it, and bring her to me. Search everywhere!" Dare hollered, his voice echoing off the cavern walls. "And make sure that they are alive and untouched."

"Yes sir," the fledglings all replied at once and shimmered away, leaving Dare to stand outside the Source's chamber alone.

"You're a traitor to your family Temperance St. Waryk. Mother wanted you to become Queen of the Underworld. And by damned, you will be." His words echoed throughout time and space, only reaching those few he sought with vengeance: her friends and herself. The Charmed Ones: Piper, Paige and Phoebe Halliwell. Their whitelighter, Leo Wyatt, and an ex-half-demon, Cole Turner. All of them lived in San Francisco. In Sunnydale, Buffy Summers, Willow Rosenberg, Spike and Temperance all heard the call.

* * *

Temperance gasped as she woke up. She was drenched in sweat and her night clothes clung to her small frame. She clutched her hand to her chest, as if to try and slow the rapid beat of her heart. _You're a traitor to your family Temperance St. Waryk. Mother wanted you to become Queen of the Underworld._ She knew the voice was her brother. He had found a way to reach her, even though she had put up every protection spell she could think of to mask her trail.

The room she occupied was bathed in white moonlight. She threw back the covers and got out of the bed, careful not to kick anyone that was sleeping on the floor in her room. She walked to the window and looked out. Fog covered the ground below her, casting a foreboding vibe toward her. Her demonic senses told her that the fog wasn't natural. She'd worry about it tomorrow. She just wanted to forget her dream. Making her way across the room to the door, Temperance looked around and sighed. If her brother found her, she'd have to leave Sunnydale. She'd have to leave all that she had known for the last five years. She'd have to leave her sons behind. Her little boys, Cretien and Apollodorus St. Waryk, just fifteen years old, were the spiting image of their demonic father. The one that none of them had seen in almost fifteen years.

Cretien and Apollodorus, being the sons of two half-demons, were half-demonic themselves. Both boys inherited abilities from different parents. Cretien took after his father. Fireballs, energy balls, telekinetic, shimmering, everything that his father had, he had, not to mention a few from Temperance herself. Apollodorus, on the other hand, he took after his mother. He was more empathetic by nature. He still had all the powers that his father had, plus a few that his mother had. Temperance was proud of her twins.

As it were, Cretien and Apollodorus' demonic abilities had saved them all more than once. With Glory, a hell-god from another plane, both had helped defeat her by throwing balls of energy (a trick they'd learned to control from Temperance). The boys had stamina. More so then even the vampire Spike, who was one of the strongest fighters Buffy had in her arsenal.

Temperance made her way down the stairs to the foyer and took a calming breath. She looked into the living room and made sure that everyone in the room was all right. When she didn't see anything unusual, she turned toward the dining room and went into the space. No one was sleeping on the floor, so she didn't have to watch her step. Making her way to the kitchen, Temperance smiled when she saw Buffy and Spike were awake, talking about demons and how they were going to defeat the First.

They were trying to defeat the First, who claimed to be the original evil. Temperance doubted that. There was the First Evil and then there was the Source of all evil. Which one came first was anyone's guess. And the answers they sought were too distant to obtain without getting themselves killed in the process.

"Spike, I can't lose you," Buffy looked into the vampire's eyes. Temperance read the love and trust there, knowing that Spike returned that love and trust. It was in the way that he looked at her.

"Pet, you won't lose me," Spike assured her, placing his hand on her forearm, his accented voice reaching to Temperance where she stood in the doorway. Temperance nodded her head at Buffy when the woman looked up. Spike removed his hand from Buffy's forearm and nodded in Temperance's direction.

"Temp," Buffy started and then winced in pain. She clutched tightly to the sides of her head and started rocking back and forth, trying to fight the pain. Spike looked at his mate strangely, his handsome face marred with concern for her. Temperance rushed to Buffy's side and whispered something to soothe the young woman. When she stood up straight, Spike looked at her. Temperance looked back at Spike, her eyes wide with unspoken fear.

"He's hunting for me, and for the boys." Her statement was simple, said in her slightly accented voice. Her Welsh accent had long since been drowned out by other dialects that she'd picked up over the years. Spike gave her a questioning look.

"Who's looking for you?" he asked, helping Buffy sit on a stool near the island in the kitchen.

"My brother. Darius St. Waryk. He wants me to take my place as Queen of the Underworld, and for the boys to become the Source's right hand men."

"What was it that I heard then?" Buffy asked, looking at Temperance. "You're brother's call?"

"The call of an upper level demon. You heard my name, did you not?" Temperance asked. Buffy nodded.

"Then it was my brother. The fiend, even worse than Spike or Angel ever thought to be." Temperance slammed her fist down upon the island counter. She smiled sheepishly when she noted the sizable dent in the counter top.

"What will you do about it?" Spike asked, and promptly groaned, clutching his head.

"Free this place, free this time, let what can be heard be as silent as the grave," Temperance snapped, breaking the hold Spike was under. He gave her a grateful look and then turned serious.

"He's coming for you," Spike stated with an informative tone.

"Yes, I know, and I can't do anything about it," Temperance said. "That spell should quell the voices that are reaching you. Spike's a vampire, that's why he's hearing it. Buffy has demon blood within her body, no matter how little or watered down it is. You're hearing the demon in you roar—" Temperance was about to say more, but Willow walked in and immediately went to the sink. She grasped a glass from the dish drainer and filled it, and drank quickly.

"Wil?" Buffy looked at her friend, a concerned frown covering her face.

"Evil still tastes a little chalky," Wil told her with a sheepish grin. Spike gave a small smile to the witch.

"Wil heard it because she's a witch." Willow looked at Temperance.

"They wanted you. I heard your name," she said.

"I know. My brother is calling. He's leaving his calling card with all of my friends." Temperance sighed heavily. "If I don't go, it'll make you all crazy."

"What? No, you can't go. I still need you to fight with me," Buffy jumped off the stool and looked at Temperance, hands on hips. "I need Apollo and Cre to help too."

"I don't have a choice. There is no cure for the call of Darius St. Waryk, unless it's by his blood alone," Temperance replied with a heavy sigh.

"What about yours?"

"It doesn't work that way," a faint voice said from the shadows. Temperance turned abruptly and looked at the shadow standing on the wall near the kitchen door. "You have to have the blood of the host calling for her and her sons."

"I know that, shadow," she uttered. "What are you doing here?"

"I was sent to keep an eye on you by a close friend," the shadow replied.

"What does he want?" Temperance snarled the question.

"To make sure that the Source doesn't have what he claims as his own," the shadow shot back angrily. "He sends you a message as well."

"Out with it then," Spike snarled menacingly, looking at the shadow against the wall, unsure of what to think.

"He wants you to come to San Francisco, bring the boys. It's time they knew each other."

"No," Temperance uttered. "Never."

"I'll tell him of your refusal." The shadow disappeared, leaving the small group of people wondering where it went. Wil looked at Temperance.

"What was that?"

"The shadow of a demon I know." Buffy raised her eye brow. "Cre and Apollo's father, Cole Turner to the mortal world, Balthazar to the Underworld." They all let out a sigh of relief.

"Why would he send his shadow here if he didn't know where you were?" Buffy asked.

"I've been in touch with Cole for a while now. I had to tell Cole what was going on before I went off and fought the First with you. Cre and Apollo need a place to go if I'm not around."

"They're more than welcome around here," Buffy said. "You know that."

"Yes, I do, but it's not their father. For fifteen years, I've denied Cole the love of his boys. I can't deny him that anymore."

"You'll just show up and give him the boys and leave?" Spike laughed a little. "You love those little boys like nothing else, what makes you think giving them up will be easy?"

"I'm not saying it will be, Spike," Temperance stated. "Cre and Apollo need their father now, not just me. I'll put myself at the mercy of Cole Turner for my children."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

Temperance sighed as she drove her car up Prescott Street. Cretien fidgeted with his gameboy beside her in the front seat, while Apollo drummed his fingers against his legs behind her, listening to music from his portable CD player. It had been a long drive from Sunnydale. Apollo, ever the silent one, hadn't mentioned a word since leaving Sunnydale. Cretien, on the other hand; he had voiced his dislike for leaving every fifteen minutes, saying that he didn't want to meet the father that had left them before they had the chance to know him.

Temperance sighed when she thought of Cole. Tall, dark, handsome, with eyes that made her melt just remembering them. Cole Turner was definitely the one person in her life that had never made any sense at all, but he was the only one who ever truly understood her. And, no matter what, she would always feel drawn to him, that impossible pull of fatal attraction.

"Mom, are we there yet?" Apollo asked. Temperance looked in the rearview mirror, and caught a glimpse of her son, noting he had taken off his headphones. He took after his father in looks. Darkly handsome, Apollo had dark hair and midnight blue eyes. His nose was manly, and his lips were that of a man; thin and wide. There was no doubt in Temperance's mind that he'd have his fill of womanizing one day. Cretien, on the other hand, had Temperance's fair coloring. He retained his father's dark hair, but the eyes, a silver green color that changed, were from Temperance.

"Almost, Apollo," Temperance replied with a smile. Apollo nodded his head and sat back in his seat. Cre, always the one to pick a fight, shut off his gameboy and looked at his mother with angry eyes.

"I don't understand why we had to leave. We were safe with Buffy and Spike." Cre folded his arms across his chest and looked out the window.

"I won't explain it to you again Cretien de Vere St. Waryk," Temperance replied to his sullen tone of voice. "You know perfectly well why we left, and you understand it."

"He's just upset 'cause he had to leave Dawnie," Apollo piped in from the backseat. Dawnie, also known as Dawn Summers, was Buffy's little sister, and Cretien had a huge crush on the girl. That little detail was not lost on his mother.

"Am not!" Cretien cried, tossing a glare back at his brother. Temperance smiled to herself. His ability to deny things was well known to her. It was another thing that he'd unconsciously inherited from Cole.

"Apollo, apologize to your brother," Temperance admonished sternly. Cretien stuck his button nose in the air and turned away from Apollo. The boys weren't very close, but they shared a bond that couldn't ever be broken. For that, Temperance was thankful.

"I'm sorry, Cre. I didn't mean to make fun of your childish crush," Apollo added the last bit to get a rise out of his brother. Cretien was the younger of the two, after all, and Apollo was never one to pass up the opportunity to torment his brother.

"Mom!" Cretien yelled. Temperance sighed. She looked out the window and spotted the house she was looking for and gave another heavy sigh.

"Apollodorus Etienne St Waryk! None of that!" Temperance's stern voice was heard. She pulled to the side of the road and parked the car. They had reached the Halliwell residence.

"I want you both to be on your best behavior," Temperance told the boys as they made their way across Prescott Street to the Halliwell Manor. "No goading each other into a fight." The last bit was for Apollo. He looked at his mother with a sheepish smile. Cre completely ignored her. Temperance sighed and stopped on the sidewalk, pulling Cretien toward her. "Cretien de Vere, you had better pick up your attitude, young man, or you'll be grounded. That means no gameboy at all," Temperance threatened. Cre gave his mother an angry look, but he acquiesced to her request. He plastered a fake smile upon his face and followed Temperance as the three of them made their way to the front door of the large red manor house. Temperance took a fortifying breath to mitigate her overactive nerves. She smiled at the boys and knocked on the door. Apollo stood to Temperance's right, hands behind his back, ready to protect his mother if needed. Cre took the same stance. Only Temperance stood there, her body relaxed.

"Coming!" a voice was heard through the door. Temperance smiled. Cretien and Apollo heaved a long sigh as the door opened, revealing a short young woman with long brown hair. Temperance hadn't seen Piper Halliwell in little over five years.

"Piper Halliwell!" Temperance exclaimed, exuberance filling her words.

"Temperance St. Waryk," Piper's face broke out into a wide smile. She reached out and pulled Temperance into a familiar hug and pulled back, still smiling. "What brings you here?" she asked, moving aside so that they could all move into the house. Piper looked over the two boys and then it dawned on her. "Cole." Temperance nodded her head.

"It's time they knew, Piper, and it's time that they finally met Cole. I can't keep them forever. His shadow came to me the other night." Temperance looked at Apollo. "This is Apollodorus Etienne, Apollo for short," she introduced her son to Piper. Piper gave the boy a wide welcoming smile. Apollo smiled back, instantly taking like to the older woman with an open smile. Temperance looked at Cre and noted the scowl on is face. "And this scamp is Cretien de Vere, but we all call him Cre." Piper welcomed to other boy, but Cre didn't want any of it.

"Where is my father? I want to get this over with, so that I can go back to Sunnydale," Cre snapped. Temperance looked at her son.

"Grounded. No gameboy for a week, and if you sneak it, I'll throw it in the bay and you won't get another one. Do I make myself clear, young man?" Cre's face went crestfallen. "Not another word out of you unless it's polite to the hostess," Temperance added as an after thought, knowing Cre would snap at her again. He gave her another angry look, but he held his tongue.

"So, tell me, why else does Cole bring you to San Francisco? I figured that you'd stay in Sunnydale, regardless of the threat." Piper led them into the lounge, where she smiled at Leo and her sons, Wyatt and Chris.

"Cole needs to know his boys," Temperance answered. She didn't know whether or not she was trying to convince herself or Piper.

"There's more to it than that," Leo commented, looking at the set of Temperance's face. "You're brother's call."

Temperance looked at Leo, her confusion evident on her face. Cre and Apollo looked at Leo, wondering why he was talking about their evil uncle. "Leo, how did you know?" Temperance asked, regaining her composure.

"I've heard it, along with Cole, and the girls," Leo answered, setting Wyatt on the floor beside the couch as Piper went to check on Chris in the playpen next to the window.

"I can understand Cole and the girls, but you, Leo?" Temperance looked at the whitelighter. "How?"

"Whitelighter, connected to the Elders, who are connected to evil, whether they know it or not," Leo explained. "We all got the call at the same time, until someone whispered a spell, curing our headaches. That was your doing, I presume."

"Me," Temperance confirmed. "Spike, Buffy and Willow were having them too." Leo nodded, understanding what was going on.

"You have to defeat him," Piper started, "You have to get rid of Darius before he does something to you and the boys."

"Don't you think I know that?" Temperance exclaimed, trying not to break from her emotions. "That's why I am here; I need Cole to keep the boys safe."

Piper and Leo looked at her. "Don't you mean you and the boys?" Piper asked. "You're going to keep yourself safe too, right?"

"Temperance, the boys need you too," Leo told her. "They'll need to understand the way the world works."

"And they will, Leo. With Cole's help." Temperance looked at Piper and Leo, pleading to them to help her in some mythical way. "Please, Piper, Leo, I need your help."

Cre looked at the people in front of him and sighed. He wasn't sure that he could trust them, but if his mother was willing, he was going to take a chance on them too.

"We'll help you, Temperance," Leo finally acquiesced. Piper nodded her head, agreeing with Leo. Temperance let herself sigh, relieving the tension she felt within her bones.

"You'll have to stay with Cole at the penthouse, though," Piper told Temperance. "Show Darius a united front and you'll show him that he can't come between family bonds."

"Especially a demonic family bond," Temperance snorted bitterly. Piper stared at her.

"Weren't you the one who told me that family was the most important thing in this world?" she asked, looking incredulously at Temperance. "You told me that the love of a family lasts forever."

"That was then, Piper," Temperance snapped. "Times have changed, betrayal has happened, and I've been hunted for the last seventy-five years. How can I have faith in the love of a family?"

Piper looked at Leo, shocked to hear Temperance say something like that. Temperance had always believed in family and the love that families shared. Something was wrong, and it had to do with the fact that they were going to stay with Cole. She was so cynical.

* * *

A few hours later, after everything had died down, the excitement of having a family of half-demonic humans wore off, Temperance was busy in the sunroom, scrying with a crystal for her brother over a relatively large map of San Francisco. Phoebe stood in the doorway, watching her, watching the movements that Temperance did without so much as a thought. _It's so mechanical_, Phoebe thought.

Temperance sighed for what seemed like the millionth time. She still couldn't find her brother. She'd searched all over San Francisco. Every demonic hang out she knew of, she searched for her brother's essence, and still found none. "Darius St. Waryk, you can hear my call," Temperance uttered under her breath, "I know you can, you bastard."

"That's a pretty harsh word for your own flesh and blood." Temperance jumped, and turned to look at Phoebe.

"Did you hear that?" she asked. Phoebe looked back at her, her eyes wide with fright.

"Yeah," she whispered.

Temperance acted quickly. "Dare, you know I'm in San Fran, show yourself," her voice was eerily low. Phoebe pushed away from the door and made her way over to Temperance, trying not to make sudden movements. Temperance looked at Phoebe. "Go find the boys," she whispered, "get Leo and the rest." Phoebe nodded and left.

Temperance sidled around the wicker table in front of her and cautiously looked around. If she knew her brother, he'd show up and try to take her back with him to the Underworld. She knew that he was going to show up sometime, and she'd rather have it now instead of later.

"Sister, dear, you look frightened," Dare's voice filled the air around her. "I've been looking for you," he added.

"Yes, I know," Temperance replied nonchalantly. "You left your calling card with my friends." Dare laughed.

"They did their job well then," Dare acknowledged as he appeared in front of the wicker table. Temperance jumped slightly. "You look good, sister."

Temperance looked down at her faded blue jeans and cornflower blue blouse, and smiled ironically. She then looked at her brother's long black robes and black attire. "You look black."

"That's the color of the Underworld these days," Dare replied. "You should know that, since you are about to become the Queen of the Underworld." Temperance stood up straight, squaring her shoulders.

"You wanted something from me, Dare," she said, ignoring his comment about her being Queen of the Underworld, "what was it?"

"Only to bring you and the boys to see the Source," Dare replied, eagerness coming into his voice.

Temperance smiled when she looked at her brother. Over his shoulder, she could see that Phoebe had done as she'd been asked.

"You're not taking her anywhere," another voice said, from behind her this time. Temperance turned around, too shocked to speak. There was Cole, who'd shimmered in sometime before, standing behind her, energy ball in hand.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three:**

Cole stood behind Temperance, energy ball in hand, waiting for Dare to make a move and attack. He noted that the Charmed Ones and Leo were there behind Dare, along with his twin boys.

"Balthazar," Dare smiled at Cole. "I didn't think that I'd see you here."

"You're threatening my family," Cole stated simply. "And you're intruding into my girlfriend's house." Temperance felt a pang of jealousy, even in her current situation. She'd always claimed Cole as her own.

"Your family?" Dare asked in disbelief. He had a hard time comprehending that Cole cared for the so-called family that he had. "She's no more family to you than I am, Balthazar," Dare stated. Apollo took a step forward, trying to get to his mother. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, boy." Dare turned a threatening eye on his nephew. Apollo stopped dead in his tracks, unsure of what to do.

"Uncle Darius," his noted nonchalantly, giving Dare a smug grin that said he would do what he wanted.

"So this is little Apollodorus," Dare looked his nephew over, "the little boy who looks like his father, but has his mother's temper." Temperance looked at her son, willing the boy to say nothing.

"I am," Apollo replied in a cocky tone. Temperance glanced at Phoebe and Piper, who shared her look of fear for the boy. Leo and Paige stood there, arms crossed, hoping that the boy knew what he was doing, but on their guard in case something was to go wrong. Cretien half expected his evil uncle to turn on him, so he was ready in any case. Only Cole noted the way Dare was inching toward Apollo.

"Move another step toward my son, Darius, and I'll send you to the Wastelands in a pile of dust," Cole threatened menacingly, moving a few steps forward. Temperance took the opportunity to catch her brother's eye again. She brought her hands to her stomach and formed a knife out of thin air. Dare raised his eyebrow at her.

"You've been practicing, I see," he smiled and formed a fireball. "It's not near as damaging as this." He tossed the fireball in the air and caught it with his hand again. "Shall I show you how damaging?" Dare tossed it at her, and Temperance deflected it with a swift flick of the knife. The fireball hit a window and blew up, sending glass flying everywhere.

"I've a few tricks that you've yet to learn, brother dear," she smiled and spread her hands, causing energy to jump from one hand to the other. "Energy can jump from my hands," she smiled, "and hit you." Temperance was about to throw the energy at her brother when Cole put his hand on her shoulder.

"He may be evil, Tempest, but he is the boys' uncle. I can't have you vanquish an uncle in front of them," he stated, then turned to Dare. "If you threaten my family again, Darius, I'll have to kill you, damned if I don't." Cole glared menacingly at Dare, his face showing that he meant business.

"Do not, for a minute, think that he's lying," Phoebe added, walking forward. "If he doesn't kill you, we will." Paige and Piper stood right behind her, hands on hips. Dare smiled at the Charmed Ones and then turned to Temperance.

"How did I know that you'd come to the Charmed Ones?" he asked, not in the least bit surprised by his sister's actions. "Always the coward. You never could fight on your own." Dare smiled cruelly. "I will be back, sister dear, and when I am, you'd better be ready." Temperance was about to say something when Dare shimmered out of the mansion. She sagged in relief.

"That son of a bitch," she muttered under her breath, loud enough for Cole to hear. He chuckled, a deep and rich sound that made Temperance sigh to have him close to her again.

"He may be a son of a bitch, but he's calling the shots," Cole replied to her rhetorical comment. "He's going to keep you on your toes, Temp."

"Believe me, that's not what I came here for," Temperance replied, still not looking at Cole. She was afraid what his appearance would do to her.

Phoebe walked over to her boyfriend and smiled sweetly up at him. Cole looked down at her adoringly. Temperance saw them out of the corner of her eye and the sight made her want to throw up. Cole had looked at her like that once, and then it had been ruined. _Damn Darius and his meddling_, Temperance thought._ If not for him, I'd be the one looking at Cole adoringly_.

Apollo made his way over to Temperance and looked at her questioningly. "Mom," he looked her up and down.

"I'm fine, Apollo," Temperance said, not wanting to be the center of attention at the moment. Cole looked up from Phoebe and directly at her, reading the fright in the lines of her face.

"Temperance," Cole spoke her name, forcing her to look into the deep blue pools of his eyes. She instantly regretted it. There, for only her to see was the pain of ruination, the ecstasy of grief, and the clarity of hatred.

"Cole," she replied, hoping that her voice was steady. She looked away for a moment, hoping that he wouldn't notice the pain that filled her eyes, nor the longing to be his for eternity. He was the father of her children, two beautiful twin boys in which she couldn't have had better help in creating.

"Let's talk in the living room, or, if you'd rather, we can meet for lunch in an hour," Cole looked at Phoebe again, almost to make sure that it was okay to do that.

Temperance sighed. She wasn't ready for this yet. She wasn't ready to be one on one with Cole. Fifteen years had passed. Would she ever be ready?

"Let's go to the living room," she smiled, putting on a brave face, not wanting to show weakness.

"Boys?" Cole looked at them questioningly. Apollo nodded his head, while Cre just stood there, ignoring Cole. "To the living room then, privately." Cole hugged Phoebe close one more time and then kissed her lips sweetly before walking away toward the living room door.

* * *

Temperance watched her children follow their father out of the room. She slowly started to move toward the door. Cole never wanted to talk. What was going on? Was he angry that she'd come to San Francisco? Was he upset that she'd finally—for once—obeyed his orders? A thousand more questions like that went through her mind, trying to figure out a way to come out into the open. Slowly walking, Temperance stopped at the living room door, looking inside. Cole and Apollo shook hands, while Cre stood sullenly to the side, not acknowledging his father's presence.

Cole looked good. He was still tall, dark and handsome. He even had a bit of aristocratic arrogance to his features. The striking thing about Cole was the he was dressed in a business suit, stark black with a deep blue tie, which set off his deep blue eyes. He looked sinfully delicious, and no doubt made every woman weak in the knees.

Cole looked in the doorway, and watched Temperance study him. She was still the most seemingly pure woman he'd ever seen. She didn't at all seem to have a naughty streak in her. Yet, her appearance was deceiving, because he knew she was as naughty as they came. She was still one of the prettiest women he'd ever seen, next to Phoebe. With her long dark hair and bright silvery green eyes, Temperance St. Waryk had taken him into her world and showed him what it was like to live the life of a true human being. When they had been together it had been as if their demonic counterparts didn't exist. Cole smiled at the thought. Even her lush rosy lips reminded him of the passion that they had shared for almost three years.

"You've been standing there for five minutes, Temperance, is there something wrong?" Cole asked, breaking out of his thoughts and into hers.

"I'm sorry, Cole, it's just been a long time," Temperance replied, coming into the living room. "Don't mind Cre, Cole, he's a little put out by you."

"That son of a bitch left you, mom, and you want us to be civil with him?" Temperance and Cole turned to look at Cretien, stern expressions displayed upon their faces. Cretien looked at them both sheepishly.

"You want me to take care of it?" Cole asked, not taking his eyes away from Cre. Temperance sighed.

"Go a head, and, for the record, he never used to be like this," Temperance smiled at Cole. "He's very much like you."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Cole chuckled, and then turned to Cre. "Cretien, you may not like me, but I am your father, and she is your mother. Don't ever talk to her like that, and never call me a son of a bitch," Cole scolded. "Where did you learn that word anyway?"

It was Temperance's turned to be shocked. "I think I know, and when I see him again, I'm gonna stake him good and proper."

"Buffy might have a problem with that, mom," Apollo told her. "Spike," Apollo explained when Cole looked at him. "He's Buffy's boyfriend." Cole nodded once and turned back to Cre.

"Am I in anyway unclear?" Cole asked the boy. Cre looked at his father.

"You'll never be my father. Not in the way it counts," Cre snarled and walked out of the living room. Temperance was about to follow him, but Cole held her back.

"It'll take some time, Temperance," he commented. "I was like that when I found out that I was half-demonic. Of course, I knew my father loved me."

"Cole, the boys don't know," Temperance whispered. Cole looked down at her.

"You've kept secrets?" he questioned. Temperance nodded.

"On purpose. My brother…" Cole raised his eyebrow.

"I have a hard time comprehending that you are afraid of your brother."

"Things change, Cole, sometimes they change in shocking ways." Apollo looked from one parent to the other.

"She's done nothing but good for us, dad," Apollo indicated. "Why do you think we're here? We need your guidance." Temperance smiled at her son and then looked at Cole. Cole read her eyes. _Something is after her,_ Cole thought._ Something that could destroy her and she wants me to have the boys._

"Apollo, I'd like to talk to your mother alone," Cole said. "You'll be staying with me at the penthouse. We'll get to know each other then."

Apollo nodded his head and walked out of the room, smiling. He figured that he could go talk some sense into his brother.

* * *

Temperance sighed, knowing that this was one conversation that she wasn't going to be able to talk her way out of. She sat down on the floral couch and sighed, trying to collect her thoughts and prepare herself for the wrath of Cole Turner. She didn't fear him as much as she should. But, she didn't understand why.

"It's been fifteen years," Cole looked down at her and smiled. "Ten long years."

"Yes. You've changed," Temperance noted. Cole smiled.

"So have you," he replied. "The last I heard, you were refusing to come to San Francisco to see me. Shadow doesn't lie."

"Things change, Cole. Dare wants me to be the Source's Queen, just like mother's prophecy," Temperance said matter of factly. "Can you blame me for coming to the one person I know can protect _my_ boys?" Temperance looked up at Cole. "You can protect them if Dare takes me, Cole."

"And what do you get out of this?" Cole asked, wondering what she needed from him.

"Peace of mind that _my_ children are safe and partially away from harm." Temperance stuck her hands in her lap, neatly refolding them every few minutes until he couldn't stand it anymore.

"Stop it!" Cole told her sharply. Temperance looked at him, her eyes displaying no fear. "You want to know that _our_ kids are safe?" Cole asked.

"Cole, I'm not going over this again and again. Cre and Apollo need you at the moment. I need you to do this for me. Please," Temperance pleaded to Cole.

Cole looked at Temperance, noting the way her bottom lip jutted out and how incredibly innocent that she looked.

"Fine," Cole acquiesced. "Only until we get rid of your brother. And then I want you gone."

"Gone?" Temperance looked up at Cole, confused.

"Gone, as in away from me, out of town, out of my life," Cole clarified. "I have Phoebe now and no place for you in my life."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four:**

"Apollo, you and Cre are going to room together," Temperance told her boys as they looked around Cole's penthouse. Cole stood behind the three of them with a smile carelessly placed upon his handsome face.

"There is more than enough room for all of us," he commented. "Everything you'll need, you'll have, just let me know."

"And you aren't to take advantage of that, Apollo," Temperance looked at her oldest son. "Is that understood?" Once Apollo nodded, Cole moved to stand beside him.

"Strict…" Apollo commented under his breath.

"Apollodorus," Temperance warned.

"Got the hearing of a demon too," Cole added under his breath.

"I heard that, Cole." Cole raised his eyebrows as if to say 'I-told-you-so,' and motioned for Apollo and Cre to follow him to the nearest door.

"I had this room furnished specifically for the boys," he explained as he walked into the large room. "Bunk beds, two desks, a computer, complete with internet and the works, two dressers full of clothing." Temperance looked at Cole as the boys went to claim a bed. Cre looked at her when he sat down on the bottom bunk. Temperance nodded her approval.

"Cole," Cre looked at his father, "I still can't bring myself to call you father, but I appreciate what you are doing for us. I also wanted to apologize for my behavior a couple of days ago. It was uncalled for." Cole smiled.

"It's okay, son. I completely understand. I resented my father for a while too." Temperance gave her son a huge smile. Cole turned his eyes on Temperance and point toward the door. "Your turn. Out," he pointed toward the door. Temperance did as she was told, leaving the boys to argue over who got the top bunk.

"You shouldn't have gotten them all of that," Temperance chided Cole, when Cre and Apollo where out of earshot. Cole looked down at her.

"Are you saying that I can't spoil my own sons?" he asked defensively, arching an eyebrow.

"Of course not, I'm just saying that you shouldn't have gotten them so much. A room that they could share is one thing, but a computer with the works is quite another," Temperance frowned when they stopped in front of another door down the hall from her boys.

"This is actually another penthouse. One that you can have all for yourself. It's magically masked, so Darius can't find it," Cole explained as he unlocked the door. "The law firm gave it to me weeks ago for Paige, but she didn't want to be that close to a demonic brother-in-law who hated orbing as much as she hated ruining her Gucci boots. It's yours for the taking." Temperance watched as Cole opened the door and moved to the side, allowing her to walk in at her leisure. Inside, the walls were white, the purest white that she'd ever seen. There was a fireplace to the left, and a table to the right. The immaculate furnishings alone were enough to floor Temperance.

"I couldn't possibly…" she started, but Cole stopped her.

"You can, and you will," Cole replied. "I won't take no for an answer." Temperance didn't have the heart to deny him. She walked further into the room and sighed when she looked around. There were soft pale colors; just the way Cole knew she liked them. Pictures of children were on the walls, along with pictures of the boys on the mantle piece. That was the most shocking focal point.

"How did you get these?" Temperance turned to Cole, her eyes carrying a look of betrayal in their deep depths. Cole looked sheepish. He'd had the pictures taken at various points in his boys' lives.

"I had them taken," Cole answered. "I figured that you would want something to decorate the mantle with, so I had them developed and framed for you." Cole walked toward the couch that sat in the center of the room. "You have everything you need. Food, water, bathroom, clothing. Anything else, you need only ask."

"That's the problem, Cole. I ask and I get, without having to work for it. I'm half-demonic, not crippled," Temperance replied bitterly. "I don't need you to support me and the boys, Cole Turner. I've done that perfectly for the last fifteen years."

Cole's blue eyes flashed with hurt. He was only trying to prove to her that he was man enough to be a father to Cre and Apollo. Something he wanted more than anything in the world. He lost fifteen years of their lives. He'd never know what it was like to watch them learn to walk, never know their first word. He never got to share in the joys of parenting.

Not that it stopped him now. Cole wasn't going to let them slip away without a fight. He was already attached to the boys, after a few short days.

"Cole?" Temperance's voice reached into his thoughts, dragging him back to the real world.

"Yeah," Cole looked across the room at her.

"I'm sorry for the last fifteen years," she replied quietly. "It was wrong to keep the boys from you. I shouldn't have run out on you, nor should we have been together." She turned away from him then, and walked toward the bedroom to explore, leaving Cole to contemplate her parting remark.

* * *

Temperance spent the rest of the day in her rooms. Apollo and Cre had settled in quite comfortably, getting into a routine that would allow them to spend time with both her and Cole. They were, for all intents and purposes, a divorced couple, living together for their children.

After she'd worked to make her new home a little homier, Temperance sat down and began to think over a way to destroy her brother and his hold upon her. She sighed as she sat down on the soft cushy couch and tucked her feet under herself, reading a book on witchcraft.

"Still reading on how to get rid of me are you?" Dare's voice filled her head. Temperance looked up and sighed again.

"What are you doing Dare? You can't get me to listen to you," Temperance replied back. Dare and Temperance had been able to communicate telepathically since they were children. It was another demonic trait that they had inherited from their mother.

"Oh, but I can, sister dear, I can," his voice was filled with amusement. "I know what you'll do, and I'll still be here. You can't defeat me. You're not strong enough, and Cole can't help you."

"That's where you're wrong, Dare. I can defeat you, and I have my family to back me up," Temperance snarled back at him.

"We shall see, sister. We shall see," with those words as his parting remark, Temperance felt a pounding at her temples, indicating that Dare was leaving her a parting gift as well. A migraine, something that she couldn't possibly afford at the moment.

* * *

"Cole, you've got to have strong medicine for migraines," Temperance murmured under her breath as she went through his medicine cabinet. So far, all she saw was some strong aspirin. Strong aspirin wouldn't work on her demonic constitution, for she had a higher tolerance of drugs than the normal human being.

"Mom?" Cre peeked into the bathroom and gave his mother a questioning look. Temperance smiled at her son.

"Migraine medicine, Cre. Your uncle decided to leave his calling card again," Temperance explained as she resumed her search for a strong pain pill.

"He didn't hurt you, did he?" Cre asked, concern playing in his voice. Temperance looked at her son again.

"No. I'm fine, except for the ear-splitting migraine," her sarcasm made Cre smile.

"I'm sorry mom, but, with Uncle Dare coming after you and us, I don't think that we could afford anyone being injured," Cre replied calmly. "Cole told me to tell you that he'd be back later and that he wanted to take us and Phoebe out for dinner."

"He did?" Temperance asked, closing the medicine cabinet and sighing heavily. It wasn't like Cole to take his ex-girlfriend and children to a dinner with his current girlfriend. "Did he say why?"

"No, only that he'll call to let us know when to be ready."

"All right Cre. I appreciate your telling me," Temperance smiled and moved past her son. "I'm going to go the drugstore and see if I can get anything that is a bit stronger than aspirin. I'll have my cell; call me if something goes wrong."

"Yes mom," Cre answered and turned toward his room. Temperance went to her rooms and gathered up her purse and car keys, trying to ignore the pain in her head. She immediately shimmered out of her rooms and down to the car garage, looking for her car.

* * *

The drive in downtown San Francisco was horrible. People cut people off, trying to hurry to their families. Temperance heard more horns honked in ten minutes than she had ever heard in Sunnydale.

Temperance pulled up to a stoplight, and drummed her fingers on steering wheel, waiting for the light to change to green again. Once it did, Temperance found herself lost in a myriad of raging cars, fighting for the spot that would give them the quickest route home. Pulling out of traffic and to the drugstore that she'd seen, Temperance parked a relatively large distance away from the doors, allowing her to walk and clear her mind. When she reached the front doors leading into the store, Temperance walked in and immediately went to the medicine aisle. She browsed the aisle, looking for a strong pain killer. Once she found one, Temperance made her way to the front counters and smiled at the cashier.

"Good afternoon, ma'am," he smiled back. "Did you find everything you needed?"

"Yes, thank you," Temperance replied and smiled through the pounding in her head. The boy looked at her again, and Temperance studied him. His eyes, a hazel green, held an element of mystery. His features were almost cherubic. He wasn't human. He looked at her, and Temperance saw his eyes flash red, then black, and then they went back to normal.

Gasping, Temperance stepped back. "What's the matter, Tempest, can't stand the sight of your intended?" the young man asked in a booming voice. Temperance looked around. No one had seen him.

"Source," Temperance whispered, clutching her hands to her chest. She didn't get the chance to reply. Temperance rushed outside the drugstore and to her car, barely missing a beat. Once inside her car, Temperance allowed herself to calm down. She took deep breaths and calmed her body, hoping that the adrenaline would leave her body.

Turning the car on and throwing it in gear, Temperance raced out of the store's parking lot and raced back toward the penthouse, fighting off the fear to leave her boys and run back to Sunnydale.

* * *

Temperance shimmered back into her rooms a moment before Cole knocked on the door and walked in. Temperance glanced at him before plopping on the couch and dragging in a shaky breath.

"You just shimmered in," Cole stated matter of factly.

"You aren't my keeper, Cole," Temperance snapped, her fear giving away to fury.

"I was stating a fact," Cole snapped harshly. "What has you running circles?"

"I had a migraine, I wanted to get some strong medication, because I'm a half-demonic entity and thus I can't use a normal pain pill because it isn't strong enough. I went to the drugstore and saw the Source himself, Cole. Broad daylight, playing the cashier. I've been gone longer than I thought, because in my life time, the Source has only been above the Underworld once. I didn't even hear the gargoyles."

Cole nodded his head. "It isn't unusual in the fact that he only appeared to you, but you not hearing the gargoyles is entirely unusual," he commented. "What did he say?"

"He asked if I had found everything okay and then, once I knew it was him, he asked if I could stand the sight of my intended," Temperance replied. "Cole, I seriously don't understand where he got the idea that I came to San Fran to take the throne in the Underworld."

"Let him think what he will, Temp," Cole smiled. "We'll take care of him soon enough."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five:**

The next morning, Temperance didn't see the sun until early afternoon. Cole had run them ragged; showing them everything there was to see in San Francisco. Cole had mainly doted on the boys, with bits of Temperance and Phoebe thrown in. Overall, the night was a huge success.

Temperance and Phoebe had held back a little, letting the men do their thing while they talked about gossip. They giggled every now and then, causing Cole and the boys to look back at them and roll their eyes, muttering under their breath about women and gossip.

The night had been good. Nothing with Darius had happened. It was as if he'd disappeared for the time being. Not even the Source had made an appearance.

A soft knock on her door had Temperance out of bed and into her robe as she went to answer it. Cre stood there, smiling and holding out the Bay Mirror, along with a cup full of strong tea on a tea service platter. "I figured that we could have a mother--son bonding moment," he explained with a smile on his fifteen-year-old face.

"And where's that rascally brother of yours?" Temperance asked with a smile, moving so that Cre could enter the room.

"He's with Cole at the office," Cre replied with a smile as he set the tea service on the coffee table. "He asked, and Cole said yes."

Temperance smiled. "It doesn't surprise me. He's always wanted to be like Cole, no matter what the consequences are to anyone else around him." Cre seated himself on the couch beside the fireplace and looked at his mother.

"How are you feeling today?" he asked. Temperance smiled and sat down beside him on the couch, putting the paper on the coffee table and sipping her tea.

"Better," Temperance replied. "I'm still not sure what to do about your uncle, though, Cre. And that frightens me."

"You'll figure something out, mom," Cre reassured. "You always do, and it's saved us all millions of times."

"There may be no saving us this time, love," Temperance sighed. They sat there in easy silence for a while, each alone to their own thoughts.

* * *

Cole sighed as the elevator dinged, leading him into his penthouse. Apollo stood beside him, smiling and looking up at him. "We had a good day, didn't we dad?" he asked in youthful exuberance. Cole nodded at his son.

"We sure did," he replied, smiling. Apollo was eager to learn, and it pleased Cole. Cre, on the other hand, he was a wild card. He could go either way; he could go good or evil. He could choose to be good, or he could refuse. No one would ever know what he was going to choose.

Apollo walked to his room, talking to himself as he went, leaving Cole alone to his thoughts. Pouring himself a glass of hard whiskey, Cole sat down on the couch.

Temperance smiled at him as she walked down the hall toward him, dressed in pair of jeans and tube top. "Good day?" she asked, standing against the doorjamb.

"Very," Cole replied with a smile. "We may have an ADA on our hands in the near future." He moved over to the other side of the couch, and patted the seat beside him. Temperance came forward, sat beside him with a sigh, tucking her feet under her and faced Cole.

"Cre and I had a mother-son bonding morning," she told Cole, hoping that it would start a conversation with him. "I doubt there will be a way to save me, Cole."

Cole looked at her, confusion clearly written in the lines of his handsome face. "What do you mean?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

"Cole, I'm putting you at risk, along with Leo and the Charmed Ones, not to mention little Wyatt and baby Chris. Every moment of every day, I put you and them at risk to die." Temperance sighed as she wrung her hands in her lap over and over again. "I can't take that, Cole. I can't have that agony on my conscience."

"You aren't taking a risk, Temperance. Believe me, I've know you forever it seems like, and I've never known you to put anyone around you at risk willingly." Cole took her hands in his gently. "You're not going to the Underworld. You'll stay here, with your family. We'll fight like a family." Temperance looked into Cole's eyes, saw the trust, the confidence, but most of all, she saw the determination to keep their family safe. She felt her confidence begin to come back; but she also felt hope erupt in her heart that he still loved her.

"Thank you," she whispered, bringing her hand to touch Cole's face softly. "Thank you so much."

"That's what family is for," Cole whispered back, his gaze lingering on her lips. "We stand together or not at all."

"United we stand, divided we fall," Temperance smiled. "United."

"United," Cole repeated with an affirmative nod.

* * *

Over the course of the next few days, Cole and Temperance fell into a routine. Temperance trained the boys to use the powers that they had developed, while Cole trained them to fight physically. Every so often, both would train the boys together, and it would become a family bonding session. Yet, sometimes, Temperance felt that the family bonding was about to come to an end. Everyday, the fear of losing the few happy moments she had left ruled her mind.

Apollo threw an energy ball at her, barely missing her right shoulder. "Very good Apollo," Temperance awarded her son with a wide smile. Cre looked at his mother and then to his brother. He was reluctant to show any sort of power. Sometimes he feared what he was and sometimes he reveled in it.

"Cre?" his mother's voice reached inside his mind.

"Mom, can you not do that? It's a bit creepy," Cre told her aloud. Temperance looked at Cre and sighed.

"Pay attention then, son, and I won't," she admonished sternly and looked at him, hands on her hips, awaiting his attack. Cre formed a fireball and tossed it at his mother. Temperance deflected the ball and rerouted it toward Apollo.

The fireball caught Apollo off guard, and knocked him to the ground. "You have to be ready for everything, Apollo," Temperance told him, walking over to help her son to his feet. "Had you have been human, you'd be dead."

"Thanks for the tip, mom," Apollo replied, and looked at his brother. "You pack a lot of punch for such a little man."

Cretien smiled at his twin. "Comes from Cole," he explained. Apollo looked at Temperance.

"Do you think that it's true, mom? That Cre is stronger than I am because he's more like dad?"

Temperance looked from one son to the other. They looked at her expectantly. "Apollo, Cre, it's not who your father is and who he isn't. It's how you use the power that you have. How you wield the power is what makes you powerful."

"I still don't understand it, mom," Apollo told her. Temperance sighed.

"When you're older you'll understand," she sighed again. "Hit the showers, boys. We're going to the Halliwell's tonight for dinner." Both boys nodded and walked off in different directions, leaving Temperance to her own devices. Forming a fireball, Temperance threw it at the nearest glass vase feeling frustrated.

* * *

"You've been training the boys?" Paige Mathews asked Temperance with a smile. They were in the kitchen at the manor with Piper, preparing dinner and having girl time. Phoebe had yet to show up.

"Good Lord, Paige," Piper smiled. "This isn't twenty questions. Cre and Apollo do need to understand their power." Temperance looked at Piper sharply and shook her head no. "What?"

"Apollo was touchy today about his powers. I don't understand where he gets it. I can't explain to him that because he doesn't take after Cole, his powers aren't the same as Cre's. I mean, I've never heard of it working like that, not even in twins. Dare and I certainly share the same powers, even if there is a little variation in how they work." Piper nodded her head, understanding, as she tossed some more garlic into the spaghetti sauce.

"You and Darius?" Paige asked. "I mean, you're both half-demonic, and have your mother's powers. One is bound to be less powerful than the other."

"You'd like to think that," Temperance answered as she tossed the salad in front of her carefully, mindful not to get the lettuce all over the countertop. "Dare and I have had decades to grow into our demonic sides. The boys are still young yet."

"Then why explain it to them?" Piper asked. "Be the avoidy parent and change the subject in a hurry."

"I can't do that to them, because then they'll just go and ask Cole. You know how he is when it comes to answering questions the boys have," Temperance sighed heavily, dropping the tossing tongs on the countertop. "Gods, why does parenting have to be so hard? It's a nonstop battle to preside over your kids."

Piper smiled. "You make me wonder what I am going to be like when Wyatt and Chris turn fifteen. Not to mention what Leo is going to be like," she told Temperance.

"Leo is going to be wonderful. You are going to be wonderful," Temperance replied to Piper with an affirmative nod. "Paragons of good raising a couple of very powerful children, what more could you ask for?" Temperance turned sharply toward the kitchen door and ran toward it when she heard the sound of glass shattering. Paige and Piper looked at each other, confused, the followed closely behind.

* * *

Temperance stood in the center of the sunroom, staring at the mess around her. Apollo and Cre looked at her sheepishly. "Boys? Care to explain this to me?" Temperance indicated to the mess around her. Paige and Piper sighed.

"I think we'll go back into the kitchen," Piper told Temperance from behind. "I'll send Cole to you if he comes in through the back."

"Don't worry, Piper, he'll sense what happened and be angrier than hell itself when he gets here," Temperance replied. Piper quirked a brow, grabbed Paige and headed back toward the kitchen.

"Apollodorus," Temperance looked at her son, "what the hell is the matter with you?"

"Cretien and I had an argument, that's all," Apollo replied, looking down at the ground before him.

"I didn't quite hear your explanation, son," Temperance said louder. "What?"

"Cretien and I had an argument. It kind of escalated into violence," Apollo snapped back.

"Cretien, what do you have to say for yourself?" Temperance stood there, arms crossed over her chest, staring angrily at her boys.

"I don't have anything to say about it, mom," Cre stated angrily. "Apollodorus is a bit jealous that I am stronger than him and that I'm the youngest. He says that it's not fair."

"You're both still on this? I thought we took care of this earlier this afternoon," Temperance exclaimed in exasperation. "You're both grounded. Apollo, you're not to go anywhere with Cole. No shimmering to see your father in the middle of the afternoon, nothing. You try anything, and I will strip you of your shimmering power until I see fit. Is that understood?"

"Yes, mom, it is understood," Apollo answered and looked up at her with tears in his eyes, obviously hurt that she had punished him so harshly.

"Cretien, you're not to play your gameboy, no computer. No talking to Dawn on the phone. All of this is to continue until I see fit. No pleading to your father for me to relent either. Also, you're not to shimmer your brother anywhere; if you do, you'll be stripped of shimmering as well. Is this in anyway unclear?"

"No mother, and while you're at it, can you make this place any less boring? I sit at home all day," Cre replied sarcastically, not caring if he got grounded or not.

"Watch your mouth, young man, or I'll make your grounding indefinite," Temperance snarled at her son. "Clean this mess up, and when you're done, sit in the living room until your father gets here. He can deal with you then and add his punishment onto mine if he so chooses. You're not getting off the hook this time, boys." Temperance watched as both boys went about cleaning up the glass and broken wood that surrounded them with grim expressions plastered all over their young faces. "No arguing or there will be more punishment," Temperance told them as a parting remark and turned to go back into the kitchen.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six;**

Dinner at the Halliwell's progressed as it normally would have been. Everyone ate, they were merry, and not one person mentioned that the boys had destroyed the sunroom; at least not yet. Cole sensed that something was wrong between his sons, but he couldn't put his thumb on it. He had noted Temperance's cool indifference to the boys, which made him wonder if something had happened to make her angry with them. Making a mental note to talk to them later, Cole turned back to the conversation Leo was trying to have with him.

"How is everything at the office?" Leo asked, smiling. Cole smiled back.

"As well as can be. The case isn't hard. It's pretty general stuff. I'm not prosecuting this one; a colleague offered to do it for me," Cole replied.

"Sounds like you've got the easy way out on this case, sweetie," Phoebe piped in. Cole turned to her with a loving smile.

"I do, and that means more time with you," he told her with a wide smile.

Temperance wanted to throw food at the two of them. They made her sick with the loving looks and the sensual gestures. "There is a bedroom for the oggily eyes, you two," Paige told them with a smirk, which made Temperance choke on her wine. Piper and Phoebe looked at her curiously.

"Sorry, that comment just took me off guard as funny," Temperance explained with a weak smile. "I seem to recall my mother telling me that once before when I was a young girl. Gods, that was at least a century ago."

"Be careful, you might give away your true age," Cole teased. "What are you, hundred and fifty?" Temperance quirked her delicately arched brows at him.

"Only I know the answer to that, and it will go with me until I am vanquished or I decide to tell someone," she told him with a matter-of-fact smile. "And besides, Cole Turner, you're the one who is one hundred and fifty, not I."

"Cole, does that mean that Apollo and I are going to live forever too?" Cre asked, looking directly at his father from across the table. Cole looked at his son, and then looked at Temperance. She gave him a look of dread that he read like a book. Both boys had been fighting over who was stronger again.

"This is a topic best discussed at home, Cretien, not here, in front of our friends," he told him. "Is that understood?" Cre's eye flashed with hurt, but he let the subject go.

The rest of dinner went well. Leo and Cole told them stories of their past, some of them good, some bad, but all the same. Temperance herself even had a few stories to share.

"Do you remember much about your father?" Paige looked at Temperance. Temperance nodded her head.

"It's been over a century, and I can still remember what it felt like to be held in his arms as a little girl," her eyes became misty as she remembered her father. "I was born in Swansea, while my father was visiting my grandmamma after grandpapa died, but, because my mother was a demon, we moved when the Source moved. Papa never knew. He just did what mama wanted."

"So, what happened?" Phoebe asked eager to know what had happened when her friend had reached American soil.

"It was sometime before the Civil War. At least ten years before, I think papa said. Mama was actively involved in trying to destroy the North. You've all heard of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. They were there. They were the ones behind the Civil War. I know that now," Temperance said bitterly. "Papa never knew that mama was involved in anything demonic. She told him that she was out with friends from the South. He thought her the spy, and it destroyed him in the end. The Source had him killed, but it was ruled a civilian casualty of war. Anyways. I got a mare, my first horse ever. I named her Dusksinger. We did everything together. Until she stepped into a pothole and broke her leg. Grady, the plantation overseer; he shot her between the eyes point blank. I cried for days. Papa sat in the same chair for days, my head on his knee, stroking my hair until I felt that I could go on."

"Have you ever been able to forgive your mother for betraying your father?" Paige asked innocently.

"I don't think that it's a matter of hating her, Paige. After all, she did give birth to me and my brother, not matter how demonic we are. I'm glad that I am alive, for however long I stay that way. I resent her. I hate that she used my father. I have no doubt that she loved him, but she used him as a device to get what she wanted," Temperance sighed. "Nemesis, a demon of fortune, twin sister to the Source himself."

"Wait a minute," Leo looked at her. "Nemesis was a powerful demon, second only to the Source himself. She was the Source's twin sister. You're her daughter?"

"Yes, Leo," Temperance replied.

"He wants you to be his Queen," Piper questioned. "That's just gross."

"He doesn't care about loyalty or family ties, Piper," Cole explained. "He wants one of the boys to become the next Source." He fully understood what was going on now. He understood why Temperance was running.

"Let's not talk about that now," Temperance pleaded. "This is a time for happy thoughts and happy dreams, not my demonic problems."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Paige smiled. "I want to hear more about your past. What have you been doing for the last seventy-five years?"

"Mostly on the run from Dare and the Source. I've been all over the coast of California," Temperance smiled. "Should've seen it in the twenties. Prohibition and speakeasies. It was great fun. I think I even met your ancestors."

"Really?" Phoebe asked. "Why didn't you know about Anton then?"

"I didn't know about him, Phoebs, that was after I met them. I don't have the gift of premonition like you do," Temperance answered back. "Had I know, I would have warned them. It feels awkward talking about this with you."

"Mom, did you ever meet anyone famous?" Apollo asked. "The former slayer perhaps? Angelus?" Temperance stared at her son.

"I met the infamous Al Capone, but that's about as famous as I get. No former slayer, but I have met Angelus. Apollo, you and Cre both met Angelus too."

"Angelus?" Cole quirked his eyebrow. "The infamous vampiric alter ego of Angel in LA?"

"The one and only," Temperance replied. "The fiend. Angel isn't so bad, a little broody, but he's not bad."

"And you lived to tell the tale?" Leo looked at Temperance. "You're one strong half-demon. Few have gone against Angelus and lived."

"Few have gone up against me and lived," Temperance added. "Angel and I are well matched. Both of us have a monster that we would love to get rid of, but we know that we can't because it would tip the scales in favor of evil."

"And that is something we need to avoid," Leo stated as Cole shook his head in agreement.

"Tipping the scales would be bad, right?" Cre asked. Temperance rolled her eyes and sighed.

"It could possibly kill us all, sweetie," Phoebe told the boy.

"Okay, tipping scales bad. Got it," Cre replied sarcastically.

* * *

Temperance and Cole were sitting on the couch in the penthouse later that night, drinking wine. Temperance swirled her wine, caught a whiff of it's aroma before she took a sip and made a face. "This tastes disgusting, Cole," she teased. Cole gave her a wine induced smile.

"All the more reason to drink it then," he slurred. Temperance giggled as Cole sobered up. "Can't even get drunk. We're too strong for that."

"It's that damned demonic constitution. Screws us every time," Temperance set her wine glass down on the coffee table with the soft clink of glass hitting glass. "Dinner went well, don't you think?"

"All except for the cool indifference I sensed between you and the twins. What happened?" Cole cast a sideways glance in Temperance's direction. She wore a simple black halter top dress and a small obsidian cross around her neck. _A protection amulet,_ Cole thought to himself.

"Your boys are having a hard time of training again. Cre seems to be stronger than Apollo. I've never heard of something like this. Apollo is extremely jealous," Temperance told Cole. "They're grounded from everything until I say otherwise. They destroyed the sunroom at the manor. Apollo isn't to shimmer into your office while you are at work, and if he does, I'll strip him of his shimmering ability until I deem fit. Cre isn't to shimmer Apollo anywhere or I'll do the same thing to him."

"That's a bit harsh," Cole commented. "Couldn't think of something better?"

"Cole, they destroyed the furnishings in the sunroom; they broke the windows in the sunroom. Everything. It's going to cost Piper a small fortune to replace it all," Temperance replied in exasperation. "Unless…" Cole smiled, knowing exactly where she was going with her tirade.

"You're going to release them of grounding if they pay for the damages that they have inflicted on Piper and Leo," Cole said with a smile. "I think that it's fitting. They'll need to shimmer for the next bout of training anyways."

"On the first bit, yes, I am going to make them repay Piper, or at least work of their debt to her, but they aren't released from punishment," Temperance sighed. "On the other, why are we going to train them to shimmer? It's not like they don't know how. They've been doing it since they were two."

"I know," Cole replied. "Apollo used to shimmer to me in the Underworld. At first I thought that my mentor when I was in the demonic academy was missing a demonic child. Then I began to wonder why a child would shimmer to me, unless our union had produced children." Cole nursed the wine glass in his large hands. "I grew fond of that little boy. When did you tell them about me?"

Temperance smiled at Cole. "They've known since they were born. I wasn't going to deny them the right to know you as their father, Cole, no matter how much I hated you at the time. We've both made mistakes, but the boys shouldn't have to pay for them."

"I agree," Cole smiled back at Temperance. "Where does that leave us now?"

Temperance stared at Cole, confused. "What do you mean, Cole? We're just fine the way we are."

"Can we keep our family together? I don't want them to think of us in relationships," Cole told her. Temperance gave Cole a smile.

"Like Piper and Leo. You don't want the boys to end up like we did." Cole nodded. "Don't worry. They see you and Phoebe all the time. They'll see met and someone special eventually. In fact, I think our Cre already has. Dawn Summers, Buffy's younger sister. Cre is completely crushing on the poor girl. I see a marriage between them in the future."

"Still pinning away for Mr. Right, are you?" Cole teased as he sat back against the couch. Temperance glanced at him as she leaned forward and picked up her wine glass. Taking a sip of wine, she sighed and looked across the room to the open balcony doors.

"I'm lonely. Running from Dare and the Source hasn't given me much time to have a life, let alone a love life. I fancied myself in love with Spike at one time," Temperance smiled at the thought of her and Spike together. "That union would never produce children. He was too much in love with Buffy to care about me. I broke it off, knowing that I was the used party in that relationship."

"Sounds like a winner to me," Cole teased. "A vampire, huh? Get your kinks where you can?"

"Cole, I would settle for Mr. Anything at the moment. A girl gets lonely," she whispered softly. "And, the only one I wanted, he up and left me without so much as an explanation as to why."

Cole watched as Temperance set her glass down on the table, got up and walked away from him, her hips swaying gently as she walked down the hallway to her rooms. He thought about what she'd told him, and wondered who she'd been talking about.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven;**

Darius walked into Source's chambers grimly. He'd failed to gain his sister and her children. He'd been lax in his attempts on her emotional state. He knew that she was ripe for the taking, but something inside of him didn't want to bring out the monster he knew his sister was. Temperance was by far the stronger of the two of them. Dare wasn't willing to put himself on the chopping block yet.

He had one great idea. Hit his sister where it hurt the most. Her sons were in emotional discord at the moment. Cretien lorded it over Apollo that he was strongest. Apollo was the jealous type, just like his father.

"Darius, you're disappointing," the Source's voice echoed within the stone cavern. "I send you to retrieve your sister and her children, and you've yet to do this simple task."

"I've been set back, my liege," Dare replied. "A simple miscalculation of how strong my sister's bond with Balthazar is."

"Balthazar, a former fellow brother of yours," the Source mused. "A former member of the Brotherhood. What of his involvement with your sister?"

"He is father to Cretien and Apollodorus," Dare replied. "He keeps them safe by keeping their mother safe."

"Is there anything we can use against Balthazar?" the Source asked.

Dare smiled, his mind falling back on his earlier musings. "My sister's children are full of potential. I believe that the way to achieving my sister as a prize and destroying Balthazar is through the boys."

"Disruption in the ranks?" the Source questioned.

"The question my sister and I are constantly fighting about: who is stronger?" Dare smiled evilly. "I believe that is the key to getting my sister. Proving that one of her children has the potential to be evil."

The Source smiled at Dare. "I'll leave you to your plans then," he said. "I expect a full account of its happenings."

"Of course, my liege," Dare answered. "I'll send you every last detail."

"Good. Be gone. I've work to attend to." Dare bowed and left the stone chamber, his smile not once leaving his face. There was a way to his sister, and he knew exactly how to bring her to him; just like a moth to a flame.

"You're not stronger because you take after me in the power department, Cretien. In fact, I don't think that you're stronger at all," Cole told his son, obviously exasperated. "You're using more force than necessary against your brother because of petty jealousy."

"Gee, Dr. Phil, that was deep," Temperance smirked as she walked into the training room. "Cole, you're not going to get anywhere with him. You've been at this for three weeks, and at least a dozen demons, and still, Cre and Apollo are neck and neck. Their both equal. Same as Dare and I."

Apollo stood off to the side of the room, nursing a bleeding cut on the side of his face. Cole looked at Temperance. "Go look to the boy," he snarled. "I'm taking Cretien here for a little recon job. We're going to see what he can do."

"You're not taking him into the Underworld!" Temperance exclaimed, staring at Cole in wide eyed fear. "He's far too young."

"Because you were too young when you were taken there?" Cre turned to look at his mother. "I don't need to be protected, mom, I need to fight. I need to find out what is going on so that we can fight and I can get back to Dawnie."

"Your precious Dawnie, Cre. That's all you care about?" Apollo snapped. "Mom could die, and you want to get back to Dawn? You're low. You're not fit to be my brother."

"Apollo!" Cole and Temperance yelled at the same time.

"Don't you tell me that you're the patron saint of purity, Apollo. Did you tell mom that you shimmered to Cole yesterday? Did you? After she told you that you were grounded?" Cre yelled back. Apollo formed fireball in his hand.

"You're not perfect either, Cre! Did you tell mom that you called Dawn? Did you tell her that you shimmered her to the mall in LA the other day?" Apollo snarled. Temperance set her hand on the boy's shoulder, stopping him from throwing the fireball at his brother.

"Put it out, Apollodorus," she snapped angrily and looked at Cre.

"Both of you stop it!" Cole yelled. "Apollo, you're grounded for lying to me. Cretien, you're grounded to disobeying punishment. Both of you are to go to separate ends of the house. I'll have a new punishment for you both when I deem you've calmed down."

"Wait a minute boys," Temperance said, barely containing her anger at them. "You are both to write one hundred times 'I will not hurt my brother' in black ink on white paper. Any arguments and it'll be five hundred. Any questions?" The boys shook their heads no. "Good. Get to it."

Cole watched as the boys left the room sullenly. Temperance sighed. "We need to get them to stop. If they're arguing like this, Dare will use it against us," Temperance looked at Cole. "We can't let him do that. The boys still have the potential to become evil. The window of opportunity is longer in demonic children, Cole."

"I know," Cole replied. "Why do you think that I push them so hard? They don't understand and I want them to be good. I thought about the Brotherhood."

"You can't send them to the Brotherhood. Dare went through that. You won't send them to the Brotherhood," Temperance told Cole. "You can't possibly think that it will solve our problem. It represents the very thing we don't want them to be."

"I don't, Temperance, but it may be the only way to turn the odds in our favor. Apollo is ripe for the picking, Darius knows that, but he'll go for Cre. He's waiting for the perfect moment. Cre will take anything to get at Apollo. Cretien is the wild card."

"Cole, please, don't send them away. They're not ready yet," Temperance pleaded. Cole looked into her eyes and saw the raw need written in the silvery depths. She couldn't lose the two ties that held them together.

"Do you have another suggestion?" Cole asked. "I'm open for all sorts of ideas."

"I think I might. I need a first class plane ticket to LA," Temperance smiled. "I'm going for Angel and his gang. I might even call in Buffy and hers. It won't do much to help us at the moment, but it's going to tip the scales in our favor."

"You're sure you can do this?" Cole asked. "Angel will come to San Francisco?"

"He owes me one for re-cursing him. I'm going to call in that favor. He'll understand," Temperance explained. "Besides, if he risks not taking this chance, Wolfram & Hart could use it against him, thus tipping the odds in favor of evil and the Source."

"Wolfram and Hart? The demonic law firm? They're connected to the Source?" Cole looked confused.

"Cole, everything is connected to the Source in some way, shape or form. Ever heard of the Circle of the Black Thorn?" Cole nodded his head no. "The Brotherhood of the Thorn is directly connected. In fact, I'm surprised that Raynor never told you. The Brotherhood is on loan to the Source for a thousand years."

"Raynor wasn't the best of mentors," Cole told Temperance. "It still doesn't explain why you're bringing in Angel and Buffy."

"Cole, you'll just have to trust me and take a leap of faith," Temperance replied. "I'd never knowingly put you or Phoebe in any danger, if that's what you're thinking. That's not my intent."

"I know. I won't doubt your intents ever again. We know how well that went the last time," Cole smirked, the memory running through his mind. "I ended up digging bullets out of my flesh for days."

"That was not my fault, Cole," Temperance replied. "You were the one who jumped in front of the firing squad."

"I would have done anything for you," Cole commented.

"I know," Temperance replied, staring at the fire in the fireplace, away from Cole. "Why do you think that I came to you for help? I trust you, Cole, no matter our past."

Three hours later, Cole had convinced Temperance not to fly to LA, but to shimmer. Temperance had. She appeared outside the Hyperion Hotel with a genuine smile on her face and a familiar feeling of security in her breast.

The Hyperion Hotel was old; dating back to the 1920's, when Temperance and Angel had lived there together for a few years and had some trouble with a paranoia demon. There was a garden preceding the front door. Temperance smelled the jasmine sure as day; tripled by her demonic sense of smell. Walking through the garden, Temperance smiled as she opened the front doors and walked in.

"Get down!" someone yelled at her, and Temperance ducked, looking for the thing that was attacking her friends. Upon seeing the demon; a slimy scaly creature with four legs, Temperance sprang into action. She shimmered behind the demon right in front of the weapons cabinet and drew a sword.

"Temperance!" Wes called out as she stabbed the creature in the back.

"To the Wastelands with you, and don't come back the way I know demons are fond of doing," Temperance snarled as she formed a fireball in her hands and thrust it at the demon. "Everyone down! He's gonna blow!" She shimmered behind the desk and smiled when she heard the demon blow up.

"Wow! That was a neat trick," Fred smiled as she looked up from her hiding place behind a pillar.

"I'm a demon, I get to do things like that, no trick," Temperance replied. "You must be Winifred Burkle. I'm Temperance St. Waryk," Temperance introduced herself as she walked out from behind the desk. Fred was a petite young woman with long dark hair and expressive hazel eyes; while Wes was tall with dark hair and chocolate brown eyes.

"Nice to meet you," Fred replied. "So, you're a good demon, right?"

"From San Fran and a few friends there. I just left Sunnydale not too long ago," Temperance replied with a nod of her head and a smile on her lips. "I'm sure Buffy has the First under control, and we'll all be able to rest easy."

"You were always a horrible liar," a voice came from behind her. Temperance turned and found herself face to face with Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. "It's good to see you here, Temperance, but I have to ask; why?"

"Got a problem to talk over with the big man, so to speak. I need his help, if he's available. Cole Turner and my boys would appreciate it as well," Temperance explained. "But, there's something that you're not telling me, Pryce. What is it?"

"Well, Angel has gone missing, and he's not cursed," Wes explained. "You and Willow are the only two living that we know have re-cursed him."

"I see," Temperance sighed. "You want me to hunt the infamous Angelus down."

"Yes, if you wouldn't mind. It would make things a little easier on us," Wes smiled sheepishly.

"Fine. I need to use the phone. I'm gonna call the best demon tracker I know. We'll have Angelus soon enough," Temperance gave Wes a smile. "You've never met the infamous Balthazar, have you?"

"No I can't say that I've had the pleasure," Wes replied. Temperance's smile grew into a wide grin.

"Would you like too?" she asked.

"He's your demon tracker?" Wes asked.

"The very best. And besides, if anyone stands a chance of bringing Angelus in alive, it's Balthazar. I can't bring him in," Temperance said.

"Why?" Fred asked.

"It will lead The Brotherhood of the Thorn directly to me, which I can't have. I would be in the Underworld forever if that happened," Temperance answered.

"You're on the run!" Wes looked horrified.

"Not at the moment, no, but if I do use any type of the magic it would require to bring Angelus in, I would be. It requires my demon sensing his demon, and I can't do that without the Source catching on," Temperance explained. "Wes, I'm meant to become Queen of the Underworld. I am supposed to join in the demonic hierarchy. I want to and plan to avoid that."

"And you're going to call in Balthazar? Won't that lead them to you?" Wes asked, confused.

"The safest place I know is with Balthazar," Temperance smiled. "Believe me when I say that I am safe for the time being."

"Good," Wes and Fred sighed heavily.

"Let's get this show on the road," Temperance changed the subject. "The sooner we get Angelus, the sooner we can re-curse him and the sooner you can all come to San Fran with me to help me save my family."

"You're not going back to San Fran, Tempest," a voice called out. "At least, not in a good vs. evil sort of way, unless it's evil."

Temperance turned around and came face to face with Angelus and a wicked smile came to her face.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight;**

"Angelus, it's nice to see you again," Temperance told him. He gave her a wicked smile.

"You look well, Tempest," he replied. "It's too bad that I have to take you to Wolfram & Hart so that they can turn you over to the Source. We could do a lot of damage."

"Oh, I'm sure we could, Angelus," Temperance taunted. "But you forget, we fight for two different sides now. I'm not evil. I have never been nor will I ever be evil." Angelus looked around the room, seemingly sizing up the easiest way to get her to surrender in a hurry. "That won't work, Angelus. I'm not the easiest target to bring in. Surely Lilah told you that."

"They told me a great many things," Angelus replied. Temperance took a step back toward Wes and looked at him.

"Get out of here," she ordered. "Don't argue. He can kill you easier than he can me." Wes nodded. "Wes, go someplace safe. Try to call the Halliwell's in San Fran. Ask for Phoebe. She'll know who to call to get me help." Wes nodded once more and grabbed Fred's arm, dragging her away. Temperance looked at Angelus. "If you want me, Angelus, you'll have to figure out a way to find me." She smiled a siren smile and shimmered out of the room. She vaguely heard Angelus curse before he ran up the stairs.

Temperance had been shimmering for what seemed like hours. She'd avoided Angelus for the first few minutes of their confrontation, but then she realized that it was only a matter of time before he found her. So she'd started shimmering to where he was, confusing him, and hoping that it would throw him off guard. No help had come yet. Temperance was beginning to wonder if help would come. She watched silently as Angelus turned the corner into room 217, and shimmered into the room behind him, careful to not be seen.

"You're pretty smart, Tempest," Angelus said aloud. "Your shimmering trick works well for you."

"One hundred and fifty years of honing the skill," Temperance whispered to herself.

"I will find you," Angelus taunted. "And when I do, you'll rue the fact that you ran from me." Angelus turned around sharply, inspecting the walls where Temperance had been. She'd shimmered mere precious seconds before he turned. Temperance was careful not to stay behind him for to long. She didn't want him to suspect that she was following him. Angelus growled. "Where are you?" he grounded out.

Temperance felt a tremor of fear flow through her body. She hoped that help came soon. Shimmering into the basement, Temperance sighed. It was as safe as she was going to get for the moment. She expected Angelus to inspect the upper levels of the hotel before he came to the basement.

Seating herself on the ground near the wall, Temperance brought her knees to her chest and laid her head down upon them. She prepared herself to reach into her sons' minds, hoping that they would shimmer to help her. _Cre I need your help._ Temperance sent out, hoping that it reached her son. He'd know where to find her, for their blood connected them. _Apollo, please. Come help me._ The only way she'd know if it reached them is if they shimmered to her in the next few minutes, hopefully bringing Cole or the Charmed Ones with them.

Cre was sitting at his desk when he heard his mother call. He looked at Apollo and noted the fear written on his brother's face. "Mom needs us," Apollo said. "We have to help her, regardless of what dad says."

"Should we tell him?" Cre asked. "Should we call Phoebe or Paige? Even Leo?" Apollo nodded.

"Dad won't be home for a while," he replied. "We'll have to get Phoebe and Paige."

"All right," Cre nodded his head. "See you at the Manor." He shimmered away, followed closely by Apollo.

Once the reappeared at the manor, Cre and Apollo immediately went to find the girls. "Paige! Phoebe!"

Footsteps on the stairs greeted them. "What?" Phoebe asked, looking at the boys with a smile. She frowned when she saw their concerned expressions.

"We have to help mom. She's in LA. She's calling for help," Cre told her. "She wouldn't call if she didn't need us."

"All right, I'll get Paige," Phoebe replied. "She can orb us to Temperance. You two shimmer to her." The boys nodded and disappeared.

Temperance hadn't given up hope. She could hear Angelus getting closer with every minute that went by. His taunts reached deaf ears. A familiar shimmer appeared before her, and Temperance saw Apollo and Cre.

"Oh thank the gods!" she cried and scrambled up to hug the twins. "I need your help to capture the demon hunting me." Temperance smiled when she saw familiar blue orbs appear beside the boys. "Thanks for coming. You're help is appreciated."

"You called, we came," Phoebe replied with a smile. "What's going on?"

"Angelus has been let loose again," Temperance explained. "The boys and I are going to capture him. I need him alive, so no staking him. I need you and Paige to prepare the re-cursing spell."

"Re-cursing?" Paige raised her eyebrows.

"Angelus is the vampire with a soul," a faint voice answered. Temperance looked over to see Willow standing in the shadows, or at least, an astral projection of Willow. "You'll need this." The astral being handed Paige a scroll. Paige took the scroll and looked at Phoebe questioningly. "It's in Romani, but Temperance knows how it goes. Buffy sends her good luck and Spike wants you to dust the ponce."

"Thanks, Wil, and we'll see each other again soon," Temperance said. Wil nodded and disappeared. "Not at all like Prue when she astraled," Temperance told them. "She isn't as strong as Prue, yet."

"How are we supposed to get the stuff that we need for the ceremony?" Phoebe asked, reading the scroll that Paige held open in front of them.

"There's a demon bar across town called Caritas," Temperance smiled. "Apollo knows where it is, he'll shimmer you there. A man is there; his name is Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. He'll give you everything you need."

Phoebe and Paige nodded. "What are we to tell him about you?" Paige asked.

"Tell him that I have the help I need. We'll be okay," Temperance replied. "Apollo, as soon as you get them there, get back here. It will take all three of us to get Angelus this time." Once Apollo nodded, Temperance gave him a smile, and then remembered about Lorne. "Oh! Don't worry about the demon you'll meet. He's an empath, and can read your destiny through karaoke, but he can't hurt a flea. His name is Lorne."

The girls nodded again and took Apollo's hands. They disappeared.

Temperance looked at her other son and sighed. He grasped her hand. "It's going to be okay, mom. We'll bag ourselves a vampire, re-curse him, and have another player for defeating the Source and Uncle Dare."

"I hope that you are right, Cre. I really do, for all of our sakes," Temperance whispered to him. "If he brings me to the Source, we'll all be in trouble for resisting him."

"I know, mom, that's why bringing in Angelus is so important. We'll need him," Cre smiled. "I'm just itching to hit something real that isn't Cole or you."

"Well, keep the voltages low. I don't want this particular vampire dead," Temperance instructed. "You remember how to keep the energy voltages low, right?"

"Yeah," Cre answered.

"Good," Temperance smiled. Apollo shimmered in and looked at his mother.

"They'll hurry as fast as they can. Phoebe sent Paige to get Cole, and Paige will send him here," Apollo whispered. "Now all we need to do is locate Angelus."

"Upper levels somewhere," Cre said. "Mom, any suggestions on how to get up there?"

"We shimmer. Different places at the same time," Temperance replied. "You both know what Angel looked like. Angelus looks the same. Track his demon. That will lead you right to him."

"We didn't go through that in training," Apollo looked at her.

"It's okay, sweetie," Temperance replied. "You're Cole's son; it'll come easy to you. Don't doubt the demon inside of you. It's meant to be used, not left alone to fester into something horribly evil."

"Thanks mom," Apollo smiled.

"All right," Temperance looked at them. "You know what do to. If you can, lead him down here to the cage. We'll lock him up and re-curse him that way."

"Got it," Cre said. Temperance smiled.

"Good. Let's go," she whispered and shimmered to the upper levels of the hotel.

Cre and Apollo stayed together for the most part, which made Temperance happy. It was less of a risk to have them together when they were the strongest like that. Temperance found herself showing up in front of Angel constantly. She drove him to the lobby of the hotel, where she hopped to get him to the basement as soon as she could.

"You're pretty smart," Angelus taunted. "Using your children as decoys. Bet the Source will have good use for them."

"I bet the Source won't have a use for you once you bring me in," Temperance replied. "He knows I can't be caught willingly. That's why he sent you to do this job. I'm unattainable." Temperance shimmered in front of Angelus and smiled. "You can't catch me, Angelus; I'm too much of a demon for a half-breed like you." Angelus snarled and grabbed her around the neck before she could shimmer. Temperance grabbed Angelus' wrists and used her demonic strength to remove them from her neck. It was then that Cole shimmered in.

"What the hell?" he exclaimed, rushing to her side.

"No time, basement," Temperance replied and both shimmered to the basement. Temperance shoved Angelus into the cage and slammed the door, locking it.

"We'll see how much of a demon you are when I get out of this cage," Angelus raged. Cole looked at her, noting that she had a thin red line along her neck.

"You're hurt, are you okay?" he asked, lifting her chin to get a closer look at the slight wound.

"I'm fine, Cole. It's just a scratch," Temperance replied, moving away quickly. She let out a sigh of relief when familiar blue orbs appeared before her. Paige and Phoebe smiled at her and held up their hands.

"We've got all that the curse required. And Wes tripled each thing, just incase the first ritual didn't work," Paige told her.

"Good. He's a smart man, that Wesley," Temperance smiled. Angelus jumped against the cage, making the three girls jump. Cole walked up to the cage and looked at Angelus.

"If it isn't the infamous Angelus," he taunted. "Caged up like a rabid dog."

"Cole!" Phoebe and Temperance exclaimed.

"Don't make him angrier than what he already is. I don't know how long that cage will hold a demon of his caliber," Temperance chastised. "If he gets out, you aren't going to be seeing me anytime soon."

"You can't hold me long, Tempest," Angelus growled. "I'll escape."

"Ignore him," Temperance ordered. "Cole, go find the boys. Paige, cast the circle, and Phoebe, hand me the scroll, please. I want to read it over before we start the re-cursing ritual."

Cole shimmered out, as Paige began to cast the circle. Phoebe handed Temperance the scroll, and stood beside her, arms crossed over her chest. "Do you think that the ritual will work?" Phoebe asked.

"Honestly?" Temperance raised her eyebrows at Phoebe. "I don't know. It worked twice before, but who's to say it will three times? We are running on hope, Phoebs. The third time isn't always the charm in the world of the Slayer and her friends. Sometimes it's the worst try of all."

"You've done this before?" Phoebe asked.

"I had to. Angel's curse is that he is never to know true happiness. If he does, he'll lose his soul and become the thing he was and is now; the scourge of all Europe," Temperance explained. "Gypsies cursed him because he fed from their princess. They wanted him to feel the guilt for killing all those people in his life. His worst victim was Drusilla, a young woman he made crazy before he turned her."

"Circle is cast," Paige said, coming up to Phoebe and Temperance.

"Good, we'll wait for Cole and the boys, and we'll get started," Temperance said. "I have a feeling this is going to be a long ritual."


End file.
